Please– Garcia for Harris Co. Treasurer
by David Benzion · 11/07/2006 12:22 amI’ve come to the conclusion that people are going to vote for whoever it is they want to be Governor, regardless of what anyone else has to say. That’s fine, and probably a good thing.
But for the love of God, can we all please agree to at least vote to abolish a wasteful and unnecessary government bureaucracy?
That means voting for Richard Garcia for Harris Co. Treasurer. He’s running to abolish the office. He promised my wife, to her face, he’d abolish the office. If he betrays that promise, LST will hound his ass so badly he’ll wish he’d never been born. And we’ll take you along for the ride.
But so far as we can tell, the man deserves to be trusted. He’s out campaigning with his mom, for goodness sake. Look at his campaign ad, it’s unmistakable and un-”spinnable”–he’s running to abolish the office.
You know how good it feels to vote against a bond proposal or tax rate increase? To vote, and win, and know you just stopped the government from getting bigger and more burdensome?
Well this is even better– IT IS A CHANCE TO VOTE TO NOT ONLY NOT INCREASE PART OF THE GOVERNMENT, BUT TO ACTUALLY ABOLISH PART OF THE GOVERNMENT. Poof. Gone. This should be about as difficult a decision as voting to kill Hitler.
Yet the fact that Garcia is running on the Democratic party ticket appears to throw some people for a loop.
I don’t know how else to say this– a vote for Garcia is not a vote “for a Democrat”– it is a vote to abolish a wasteful and unnecessary government bureaucracy.
Sadly, you are not going to have many opportunities in your lifetime to do just that–don’t squander one of the few you’ve been given.
Richard Garcia for Harris Co. Treasurer. In your heart, you know he’s right.
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I held my nose last week when I voted early. Almost straight ticket, except: no vote on Dewhurst, did vote for Garcia. Also voted against Van ArsDale (libertarian opponent, no Democrat running for district 130).
Garcia is the only Dim I voted for
Wow, I don’t think Orlando Sanchez is ever going to win an election. What is he now, 0-3? And now even the peeps on LST are voting for a democrat over him - even if the other guy is not REALLY a democrat?
Poor Orlando. He can’t win anything.
I have to wonder why he keeps coming back. Why does he want public office SO BADLY? Makes me suspicious. Just go back to your business, Orlando, and quit spending all this money…
Maybe he did win a spot on city council. Big deal…
I passed on casting a vote for Orlando but I don’t have the foggiest reason why.
Holding public office must be like crack….
Orlando won city-wide Council races 3 times, so he’s 3-3- plus, he’s only in this race now because Jack Kato kicked the bucket, and the Repubs wanted someone on the ballot…
Please retire the rino orlando.
The first time I’ve ever voted for a Dem - if he doesn’t abolish the office, I want on that LST train that rides him into the ground.
Early voted for Garcia and proud of it. That was the one slot that got my attention when I heard the guy would abolish the office. I to will be interested if/when this happens. I have heard the salary was like $90K/year. Is this a 4 year or 2 year term? If the guy abolishes it but waits til the very end so he can use that as a springboard campaign issue I think that would be a “political” to say the least. This issue is really insignificant in terms of overall dollars etc. but we have to start somewhere. Question is why can’t some board or already elected official get rid of the office before the election. Of course if the salary/space is open it will just go to some other part of gov’t not a true cutback. Gov’t has never downsized they just move money/power. When will something significant happen (like elimination of the IRS, selling of 100 bldgs, and lose of 50,000 gov’t jobs…that is less gov’t).
I love how you people are so easily fooled. The County Treasurer’s office cannot be abolished because of state statute. This move was not successful in Fort Bend Couty last year because of that reason.
As far as Orlando being a RINO, the only RINOS I see are the ones on this sight who willing to throw one of their own under the bus because of a LIE being spread by the other party.
Wait to go LST bloggers. Good job. Idiots.
Benzion–
If you can explain to me how Garcia all by himself is going to abolish the office of HC Treasurer, I may vote for him this afternoon. If not, I’m just going to skip the race because I’m put off by your personal vendetta against Orlando Sanchez.
Benzion Begathon - partie deux.
Sorry Joese but orlando is a rino so better to have demo in there than a rino in conservative clothing. As far as the idiots we ain’t too smart I will grant you that but we don’t like rinos regardless of their ethnic makeup. When you allow a rino of any ethnic background to slide in you cheapening your conservative stance. I voted for 2 Republicans Nichols and Creighton although Creighton appears to be rinoing on building the fence and deportation of the illegals - will try to get him out in the next election as he appears to turning to the rino side.
Deacon
So far 2 Rep County Commissioners and 2 Dem County Commissioners have recommended abolishing the office. Richard has been to Austin to push for a statewide referendum to abolish it and he is pushing as hard as he can to do so.
One man can not abolish the useless office but one man can be the driving force behind a change.
And can you imagine a county controlled by the GOP and Richard stands up and asks to be unemployed. The GOP will gladly help him.
One of those Commissioners is Steve Radack. When Radack had his man in there, one who kept his mouth shut and said nothing, then it was good. Then the guy dies and then someone who in Radack’s eyes won’t go along might get into the office, then it’s time to abolish the office. A tad disingenuous. Radack stinks and so do Democrats.
#15
I agree. If anyone is a RINO, It’s Radack. Spends money like a drunk Democrat.
I just don’t see some politician firing himself. Doesn’t compute in my head for some reason.
#13 Who brought up ethnicity? I know I didn’t. I also know that once Garcia is in office HAHAHAHA he’d renege on his promise. No Democrat will ever vote to abolish a goverment entity.
I also think that it’s no gimme a GOP controlled State Congress would vote to abolish this office. Everybody thought a reduction on property tax caps was a gimme 3 1/2 years ago, and look where we are now.
#11 Deacon
I don’t have a personal vendetta against Orlando Sanchez. He’s never done anything to me. Never met him. I’m sure he’s a nice guy– I’ve frequently said so in my posts.
If he were running against a Democrat who actually wanted to hold and maintain the office, I’d vote for Orlando. I’d have my reservations about it, but would have kept them to myself.
But it’s just his dumb luck that the Democrat he is actually running against wants to abolish the office. And “abolish the office” always gets my vote over “be nice to fill-in-the-blank because he’s not such a bad guy personally and it would be better to have a Republican in the position than a Democrat.”
Garcia is not, all by himself, going to abolish the office. He’s going to work with Harris Co. commissioners– two Democrats, two Republicans– to lobby the state legislature to abolish the position. After he wins, I will be contacting Mr. Garcia rather quickly and putting him in direct touch with Paul Bettencourt, who I’m fairly confident will be willing to work hand in glove with Mr. Garcia to get this position abolished.
I haven’t spoken with Paul about this– so people, please don’t start running up to him in the street saying “LoneStarTims.com says you’ve endorsed Richard Garcia and not Orlando.”
I’m not saying that. I’m saying that when Garcia wins, everything I know about Paul tells me he’ll be very eager to help Mr. Garcia keep his campaign promise and abolish the office.
If Garcia thinks he’s scamming us– that he’s going to run on abolishing the office, then fail because TAC and the assorted “County Treasurer lobby” in Austin are going to prevent Harris Co. from abolishing this office, so he’ll be free to collect a salary and stay in the position forever–he’s making a terrible miscalculation.
How terrible? I promise you this–it will be the least-worthwhile $96,000 a year he ever collects.
What a stupid poll question. Similar to one on a lefty blog. Choices were something like, 1) Democrats Win Big or 2) Republicans Steal the Election.
seriously doubt and unlikely Garcia will eliminate the treasurer office…
he can do it better as a citizen if he’s serious about eliminating the office without a conflict of interest…
Hutchison said will only run two terms…now shes on her third…
Hillary said she is only interested in running for the senate and not presidency…
the list goes on…
Deacon is not the only one who noticed the vendetta against Orlando Sanchez.
I did vote for Garcia, however. Hey, here is an idea. If Benzion is wrong about Garcia’s intensions the LST posters should throw Benzion under the bus. [grin]
In his radio commercial, Sanchez vows to lower property taxes and mentions how high health care is for seniors and he doesn’t think that it is right. Well, Mr. Sanchez, I did not think the Treasurer had any say so when it comes to lowering property taxes (for Harris County). Only the Commissioner’s Court and the voters decide that. Also, health care is a state wide legislative (mostly) thing, so how do you figure you have any input into that? Not a very credible commercial. I voted for Garcia.
For the life of me, I can’t comprehend how this “vendetta” meme got started. What is my supposed motivation for this vendetta against Orlando? What evidence is there that I have a vendetta against Orlando?
Isn’t the much simpler explanation that I…
SIMPLY
WANT
TO
ABOLISH
THE
OFFICE?
If you think I’m wrong about Garcia’s intentions, or being duped, or making some sort of error in logic or reasoning, fine. Make your case.
But this vendetta thing is absurd.
Hey, if LST can have a begathon that benefits its owner, why can’t Orlando Sanchez get the same treatment from taxpayers?
Otherwise he might have to *gasp* earn his keep in the private sector!
#18 David
Thanks for your input. I will take you at your word that you are not on a witch hunt with Orlando, but your previous articles and posts definitely give that impression. Just for the record, I have never met the man and I have no ties to him whatsoever. I just don’t like tactics approaching character assasination when it’s not warranted, and I don’t think it’s warranted in Orlando’s case.
I may just vote for Garcia so I can watch you roast the guy in the future. You will have to hold his feet to the fire. That is my prediction if he is elected.
#25 Deacon
Now THAT is the kind of strategically-motivated voting I can REALLY appreciate! Voting for Garcia to set him up for destruction! LOL!
#24 Dr. Whited
LST, sadly, does not enjoy the coercive power of the State to extract funds from non-consenting taxpayers. We collect exactly $0.00 from people who don’t use our site, or who don’t find it valuable.
As a matter of fact, based on our traffic-to-donation ratios (both for this Begathon and the previous one), we appear to collect $0.00 from many, if not most of the people who DO use our site and/or find it of value.
That’s fine– free-riders, etc.
From what I can tell, the office of Harris Co. Treasurer is unnecessary and not needed. But Orlando wants $96,000 a year to occupy the chair anyway. I don’t begrudge him the right to go for it; but I don’t consider myself obligated to support him in that effort.
If Orlando wants to start a blog, I won’t begrudge him a single penny he brings in, whether through Google Ads, paid ads, or reader donations.
I’ll even contribute the first ten bucks, just to show it’s nothing personal.
The Google oracle says:
+”David Benzion” +garcia +Treasurer site:lonestartimes.com
or linkfied:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=%2B%22David+Benzion%22+%2Bgarcia+%2BTreasurer+site%3Alonestartimes.com&btnG=Search
731 matches.
Nothing to see here. Move along.
#26 David, read my post #26 on the Begathon thread.
Ok, David, we did it YOUR way. My wife and I both voted for your guy. Let the fun begin!
Well….I thought it was pretty silly to see all those family members “endorsing” their wifes, husbands, sons, etc., imaging that we voters honestly care about someone being the “actual husband” of a candidate. (What does that have to do anything? And worse, what exactly does that imply? LOL.)
As people accepted literature from canvassers at the polls, Garcia told people, “Hey - that was my Mom who just gave you my candidate push-card,” like we’re to be impressed by all of that?
I voted for him anyway, because I believe HE believes he cut government waste and eliminate an unneccesary office. (15 counties in Texas have managed to do just that).
I hope he can get it done. Otherwise, I’m with you, #8.
It really is a shame that more of you don’t join the Democrat party full time. I know I sure wouldn’t miss ya’ll if you got out from under the Republican Tent.
#30 Please name the counties. In fact name one.
For those who say that a Dim will never vote for less government…
A few years ago, a Dim won the statewide race for Treasurer on the premise that she will abolish that redundant office.
And sho’ ’nuff, she kept her promise and abolished the office.
I wish I could remember her name- she was the last statewide elected Dim…